Devotion
He Is Always There
Chipo Biti
There were many times were God was hurt by the actions of His people. The Old Testament is filled with instances where the Israelites turned away from God and tried to do their own thing. They gave in to idols, worshipping other gods and turning their backs on God, who saved them from slavery, peril and death. They spoke against God. They lost faith in Him.
I want you to try and imagine how you would feel if your child turned his or her back on you and chose to follow someone else. After everything you've done for them, they chose to ignore all of that, speak against you, and wander away. You would be heartbroken. This was how God felt. People often emphasize on His anger and make Him sound as if He were a ruthless God. God was so far away from rage and ruthlessness. It pained Him to watch His people turn their backs on Him.
God is not a forceful God. He will always let you make your choices - even if they are contrary to His will. He is not in the business of trying to force you into following His will. He has never been like that and He never will be.
Despite the great amount of pain the children of Israel caused Him, God did not waver in His love for them. Whenever the Israelites found themselves in troubling situations, they would turn to God for help and cry out to Him. God would never throw their mistakes in their faces. He wouldn't lord His authority over them. He never shamed them.
God had every reason to turn on the children of Israel but He never did. His love for them remained, no matter what they did to Him. When the Israelites would cry out for help, God was swift to help them. He delivered the Israelites from many troubles they landed themselves in. God knew that they would turn their back on Him over and over again but not once did He cease to love them.
Prayer
It is the same for us. Regardless of the number of times we mess up, God's love for us will always remain. He will be there to guide us. He will be there to cheer us on when we are doing well. He will be there to lift us out of the messes we create.
God promised to never leave us or forsake us and He has every intention to keep that promise.
Night Prayer
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Inspiration
When multiple flocks of sheep become blended, there is no need to worry. The good shepherd will call out to his sheep, and they come directly to him because they know his voice and will not confuse it with others. As God's people, we often become mixed up in things of the world. Sin is tempting as we surround ourselves with the wrong crowd; God is always watching and calls us back to the fold. We find Him when we are lost because we know the sound of His voice; it's the only one we've chosen to follow, and we do not confuse it with others.
Prayer
Dear God, when we are lost, we listen for You. Your voice is precious and will guide us back to the fold where we belong. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Word of God
Frances Taylor
If there's one thing I know about Christians and the Bible, is that there is an ongoing debate about whether it is the word of God or the word of men, and what that means. We all agree that the Bible is the living revealed word of God, but! There are wide differences in how that is interpreted. There are some who believe that every word of the Bible was dictated to someone who wrote it down. For others it is purely men's thoughts. For others, men were inspired by God to write their experience of God. I don't know where you find yourself on this continuum.
For most people who believe that the Bible is inspired either word for word or as guided by God, the Bible tells God's truth. Unfortunately for those of us who speak English, we have to rely the sources we have had over the years as guides to how the Scriptures should be interpreted. I have had many people ask me which translation is correct, but there's no clear answer.
The Bible has been translated ...
Morning Prayer
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Inspiration
Suffering will be a part of our lives as Christians. The New Testament is filled with warnings about the suffering Christians will incur because of their decision to follow Christ and not the ways of the world. Millions of Christians across the world are subjected to torture, isolation, and mockery just because they have chosen to follow Christ. But Christ has also assured us that we will not endure this suffering alone, and a reward lies ahead for all of those who suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that in times of persecution and great tribulations, may you strengthen me and encourage me to keep going on. I also pray for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who endure great pain and torture for choosing to follow you. May you comfort them in these trying times, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
